Expandable fastener antenna mounts



May 13 ,1969 w. c. GOODCHILD, JR., ET Al. 31,444,313

EXPANDABLE FASTENER ANTENNA MOUNTS Filed Dec. 28, 196e sheet of 2 l /4 4 20 N V jig/2 2\ 60 :w (,Z y

l@ 616i We In ven fons M/Zliam C. Goodchz'lcjp Jahn TC/zeslk [Z8 /24 By /ez'r/'forney May 13, 969 w. c. GooDcHILD, JR., ET AL 3,444,313

EXPANDABLE FASTENER ANTENNA MOUNTS Filed Deo. 28, 196e sheet 3 or 2 lgs.

N L E #lll/111111.4 I

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 174--153 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automobile antenna mount including a rubbery member which is expanded after insertion into a hole in the automobile body. The mount retains the antenna and joins it to a lead from the radio and grounds the lead shielding to the metal surface of the automobile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The mounting of radio antennae on automobile bodies has proved bothersome in the automotive industry because the antenna is usually secured within an aperture punched in a fender or other body portion of the vehicle. The antenna mounting is .assembled from the outside only since access to the underside of the fender is ditlicult or at least time-consuming. yIt is desirable that the antenna mounting provide a ground extending from the radio lead shielding to the body of t-he vehicle. This can be difficult where an undercoating material covers the inside surface of the vehicle body and several coats of paint cover the outside of the body. Further, it is desirable that the antenna mounting assembly also serve to prevent the admittance of moisture into the mounting hole which can cause corrosion of the metal components at the base of the antenna where it is joined to the radio lead. Still further, it is desirable that an antenna mounting assembly be resistant to heavy vibration and afford ilexibility to the antenna; this is particularly true with respect to trucks and heavy duty vehicles. In addition, it is desirable that an antenna mounting assembly permit easy insertion and removal of the antenna for shipping, protection from vandals and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to, provide an antenna mounting assembly Which may be xed to the vehicle by operations from one side only.

It is another object of the invention to provide an antenna mounting assembly having means for properly grounding the antenna connection.

It is still .another object of the invention to provide an antenna mounting assembly which includes a sealing means which prevents the admittance of moisture to the connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide an antenna mounting assembly which is not susceptible to loosening by vibration of the vehicle body.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an antenna mounting assembly which may be easily installed and removed and which permits easy installation and removal of the antenna.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the present invention contemplates the provision in an automobile antenna mounting assembly of an expandable rubbery member having a head portion and a shank portion. The shank portion is readily inserted in an aperture in a vehicle body. 'Ihe expandable member has a bore extending lengthwise through the head portion and the shank portion and disposed centrally thereof. Means are disposed in the bore for receivice ing one end of an antenna and means are provided for moving the ends of the expandable member relatively toward one another, whereby to cause the shank portion to bulge radially outwardly thereby to secure t-he mounting assembly in the aperture.

One feature of the invention is that the expandable member is handled from only one side of the vehicle body.

Another feature of the invention is that an electrically conductive path is provided so that the connection may be properly grounded to the body of the automobile.

In accordance -with a further feature of the invention the head portion of the expandable member acts as a seal to prevent the entrance of moisture into the connection.

In accordance with a still further feature of the invention, the rubbery expandable member provides a fastener for the antenna mounting assembly which is not worked loose by vibration of the vehicle body over a long period of time.

In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the mounting means may be easily removed from the aperture and in some embodiments the .antenna may be removed while the antenna mounting assembly remains xed in place.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular -devices embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments Without departing from the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the invention, showing the antenna mounting means disposed in .a hole in a sheet of metal but not yet expanded;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the mounting means in the expanded condition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an antenna mounting means comprising a second embodiment of the invention but not yet expanded;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the invention and showing the mounting means in the expanded condition;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an antenna mounting means comprising a third embodiment of the invention but not yet expanded;

FIG. 6` is a cross-sectional view of the mounting means of FIG. 5 but shown in the expanded position; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting means of FIG. 6= showing additional portions in place.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The iirst illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the antenna mounting means comprises an expanda-ble member 2, which may be of rubber or plastic or other nonconductive material and which has a head portion `4 and a shank portion 6 with a central bore 8 extending through the head and shank portions. Embedded in the shank portion 6 of the expandable member 2 and in alignment with the central bore 8 is a nut 10 having internal threads 12. A circular recess 14 is disposed in the upper surface of the head portion 4, which recess is provided with an undercut annulus 16. The recess 14 retains a dome-like spacer member -18 having a lip 20 which ts into the undercut portion 16 of the expandable member 2. The spacer member 18 may have mounted thereon a decorative member 22, such as a chrome plated hemispherical dome. The spacer member 18 has a central bore 24 which is in alignment with the bore 8 of the expandable member 2. A sleeve 26 is disposed in the bores 8, 24, one end of the sleeve 26 being in abutting engagement with the nut 10. The bore 24 has an enlarged portion 28 in which is disposed the other end of the sleeve 26.

A metal collar `30 having pointed segments or projections 32 is disposed about the shank portion `6 of the expandable member 2 and in a recess 34 in the underside of the head portion 4 of the expandable member. Attached to the inner surface of the collar 30 is one end of a metallic flexible sheathing 36 which is disposed about the shank portion `6 of the expandable member 2 throughout its length. The other end of the sheathing 36 is attached to a metal end piece 38 having external threads 40. The end piece 38 is disposed on the lower or free end of the shank 6 and has a bore 42 which is in alignment with the bore 8.

An antenna 50, mounting a nut 52, is inserted into the assembly by way of the enlarged portion 28 of the bore 24. The antenna 50 includes a whip portion 54 which is threaded on its lower end, the threads 56 being engageable with threads 58 on the inside surface of the nut 52. The antenna 50 also includes a reduced portion 60 which extends from the threads 56 on the whip portion 54. A shoulder `62 is thereby provided at the termination of the threads 56 on the whip portion 54 of the antenna 50. The lower or free end of the reduced portion 60 of the antenna 50 is provided with a nipple 64 and adjacent the nipple 64 are external threads 66.

When the antenna 50 is inserted into the assembly, a shank portion `68 of the nut 52 is received within the large portion 28 of the bore 24. The reduced portion 60 of the antenna 50 is received by the sleeve 26. The external threads 66 of the antenna engage the internal threads 12 of the embedded nut 10. The nipple `64 and the end piece 38 comprise a jack for receiving the free end of the antenna lead (not shown) attached at its other end to a receiver, as for example an automobile radio.

The entire assembly, as thus far described, is inserted into a hole 44 in a metal plate or surface 46, as for example the fender or other body portion of an automobile. Clockwise rotation of the antenna 50, but not the nut 52, causes the antenna to move downwardly, as viewed in the drawings, into the assembly, until the shoulder 62 engages the upper end of the sleeve 26. To secure the antenna mounting to the plate 46, the nut 52 is turned on the threads 56. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that turning of the nut 52 causes the threads 56 and thereby the antenna 50 to be pulled upwardly. However, the lower end of the antenna is now firmly attached to the lower end of the expandable member 2 by virtue of the engagement of the external threads 56 of the antenna with the internal threads 12 of the embedded nut 10. Accordingly, when the nut 52 is tightened on the threads 56 the lower or free end of the expandable member 2 is urged toward the underside 70 of the plate 46. The member 18 is of a substantially rigid material, such as hard plastic, so that it is not deformed by the compressive pressure. The relative movement of the ends of the mounting assembly toward each other causes a bowing out of the shank portion 6 of the expandable member 2, the bowing out forming an annular ange 72 pressed against the underside 70 of the plate 46. The flexible metallic sheath 36 bows outwardly with the shank portion 6 and becomes the outer case of the tlange 72.

Tightening of the mounting assembly causes the pointed segments 32 to dig into the upper surface of the plate 46 to penetrate paint which might be present so that an electrically conductive path extends from the radio lead shielding to the body of the automobile by way of the collar 30, the metallic sheathing 36, and the metal end piece 38, whereby to provide proper grounding for the connection. The head portion 4 of the expandable member 2 alfords protection #for the collar 30, operating to keep out moisture which could cause corrosion of the grounding means.

It will be noted that the entire antenna mounting operation takes place from the upper side, as viewed in the drawings, corresponding to the outside of a vehicle fender or body. If it is desired to remove or replace a broken antenna whip, the nut 52 can be loosened and the whip unscrewed from the nut 12.

Furthermore, if desired for some reason, the mounting assembly can then be removed from the hole 44, clamping pressure on the flanges 72 having been released by removal of the antenna from the assembly.

A second illustrative embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 3. The mounting assembly according to this embodiment includes an expandable member 102 having a head portion 104 and a shank portion l106, and a central bore 108 extending through the head and shank portions. A nut '110 having internal threads 112 is embedded in the shank portion and is in alignment with the bore 108. The head portion 104 is provided with recesses 114 and 116 similar to the recesses 14 and 34 of the expandable member 2 of the rst illustrative embodiment.

A collar 118 having pointed segments or projections 120 is disposed in the recess 116 and about the shank portion 106. Attached to the inner surface of the collar 118 is one end of a flexible metallic sheath 122. The other end of the sheath 122 is connected to an end piece 124 which is mounted on the lower or free end of the shank 106 and which is provided with external threads 126 for receiving a radio lead (not shown) and a centrally disposed bore 128 which is in alignment with the bore 108. A disc 130 is disposed in the recess 114 and has an aperture 132 which is aligned with the bore 108. The disc 130 is of a hard material and provides support for a shoulder portion 134 of a connector piece 136. The connector piece 136 has external threads 138 and a nipple 140 on the lower end thereof. The other end of the connector piece 136 comprises an enlarged portion 142 having an internally threaded bore 144. The enlarged portion 142 is preferably hexagonally shaped for ready engagement with a wrench which may be used to turn the connector piece in the mounting assembly.

Turning of the connector piece 136 causes engagement of the connector piece external threads 138 with the internal threads 112 of the embedded nut 110. Further turning of the connector piece urges the free end of the expandable member 102 toward the underside 146 of a metal plate 148, causing the shank portion 106 of the member 102 to bow outwardly and form a flange 150 about a hole 152 previously drilled in the plate 148 for receiving the shank 106. Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that expansion of the member 102 to form the annular flange securely attaches the antenna mounting assembly, as thus far described, to the plate 148.

Referring still to FIG. 4, the antenna mounting assembly is ready to receive a spacer member 154 which may be provided with a decorative cover piece 156. The spacer member 154 and the cover piece 156 are provided with bores 158, respectively, the bore 158 having an enlarged portion 162 for receiving the enlarged portion 142 of the connector piece 136. After the spacer member 154 and the cover piece 156 are in place, the assembly is ready to receive an antenna whip 164 having external threads 166 on the end to be mounted and having a nut 168, with internal threads 170, mounted thereon. The threaded end of the antenna 164 is screwed into the threaded bore 144 of the connector member 136 which is then, in effect, an extension of the antenna whip 164. The nut 168 is tightened down on the antenna threads 166 to complete the assembly.

In the second illustrative embodiment the antenna whip 164 readily may be removed from the mounting means without disturbing the connection to the radio lead (not shown) which is connected to the connector piece 136, rather than directly to the antenna. The second embodiment provides the same grounding path as was provided by the first embodiment, the flexible metallic sheathing 122, the collar 118 and the end piece 124 providing an electrically conductive circuit.

The third illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5-7 and will now be described. Referring rst to FIG. 5, it will be noted that the antenna mounting assembly according to this embodiment includes an expandable member 202 having a head portion 204 and a shank portion 206 and having a bore 208 extending through said portions and centrally thereof. A nut 210 having internal threads 212 is embedded in the shank portion 206 of the expandable member 202 and is in alignment with the bore 208.

The head portion 204 of the memberr 202 has a recess 214 which receives a metal collar 216. The collar 216 is provided with spikes 218 which penetrate the member 202 to engage an outside surface 220 of a metal plate 222 or portion of vehicle body. The bore 208 and the nut 210 receive a connector member 224 having a set of external threads 226 on one end 228 and a second set of external threads 230 on the other end 232. The threads 230 engage the internal threads 212 of the embedded nut 210. The upper end 228 as viewed in FIG. 5, of the connector 224 receives a nut 234 which is internally threaded and appropriately shaped to be engaged by a wrench.

The connector member 224 has a central bore 236 which, near the end 232 has an enlarged portion 237. The enlarged portion 237 has disposed therein a non-electrically conductive cup 238 having a central aperture 240. The cup 238 receives an internally threaded nut 242.

In order to securely fasten the mounting means to the plate 222, the nut 234 is screwed upon the external threads 226 of the connector 224 so as to cause the connector to move from the position shown in FIG.' 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6. Referring to FIG. 6, 1t will be noted that movement of the connector 224 causes expansion of the member 202 about a hole 243 which has been drilled in the plate 222 to receive the assembly. Expansion of the member 202 forms an annular flange 244 which securely retains the mounting assembly 1n the hole 243. T ightening of the nut 234 also operates to cause the spikes 218 to penetrates whatever pamt or preservative coating might be present on the surface 220 of the plate 222, whereby to insure intimate contact between the plate and the spikes.

The head portion 204 of the member 202 1s provlded with a recess 246 for receiving a spacer member 248, as shown in FIG. 7. The spacer member 248 has a central opening 250 which receives the end 228 of the connector 224. A decorative member 252 having an aperture 254 may be used to cover or partially cover the spacer member. An insulator sleeve 256 is placed in the bore 236 of the connector 224, one end of the sleeve coming to rest against the end of the cup 238.

An antenna 258 suitable for the present mountmg means includes a whip portion 260 having threads 262, a reduced portion 264 having threads 266, and a nipple portion 268. A nut 270 is disposed upon the -whip portion 260 of the antenna 258, the nut being internally threaded and having a barrel portion 272. In securing the antenna to the mounting means, the threads 266 are screwed into the nut 242. The nut 270 is screwed upon the threads 262 until the barrel portion 272 of the nut 270 enters the opening 250 and a shoulder 274 on the nut 270 engages the decorative member 252 to securely fasten the antenna 258 to its mounting.

The end piece 224 and the nipple 268 form a jack for receiving a lead (not shown) from a radio or like device. A proper electrical ground is provided from the lead 6 to the outside surface 220 of the plate 222 by way of the connector 224, the nut 234, the collar 216, and the spikes 218. In this embodiment the use of a llexible sheathing is not necessary in view of the electrically conductive path provided by the members just described.

Since certain obvious changes may be made in the illustrated device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A radio antenna mount for a vehicle in which there is an apertured support means for attaching the mount to the vehicle, said mount comprising an expandable member having an enlarged head portion and a shank portion of lesser diameter than the head, the shank portion being adapted to pass through the aperture in the support, the expandable member having a bore extending lengthwise of the member through the head portion and the shank portion, internal threads disposed in said bore near the end of said shank remote from said head, antenna means having a least two sets of external threads including a iirst set near the end of the antenna to be received by the mounting means and a second set spaced from said first set, said first set of threads being engaged with said internal threads, a nut disposed on said antenna means and engaged with said second set of antenna means threads to draw said shank end toward said head portion of the expandable member whereby to cause 'a bulging out of the shank portion of said member thereby to secure the antenna in the aperture.

2. A radio antenna mount for a vehicle in which there 1s an apertured support means for attaching the mount to the vehicle, said mount comprising an expandable member having an enlarged head portion and a shank portion of lesser diameter than the head, the shank portion being adapted to pass through the aperture in the support, the expandable member having a bore extending lengthwise through the head portion and shank portion, means disposed in said bore threadedly connecting the end of the shank portion remote from the head portion to an end of an antenna mounted in said assembly, external threads disposed on said antenna, and a nut disposed on said antenna and engaged with said external threads to cause said end of the shank portion of the expandable member to move toward the head portion whereby to cause the shank portion to bulge radially outwardly thereby to secure the antenna inthe aperture.

3. A radio antenna mount for a vehicle in which there 1s an apertured support means for attaching the mount to the vehicle, said mount comprising an expandable member having an enlarged head portion and a shank portion of lesser diameter than the head, the shank portion being adapted to pass through the aperture in the support, the expandable member having a bore extending lengthwise of the member through the head portion and the shank portion, internal threads disposed in said bore near the end of said shank portion remote from said head portion, antenna means having at least two sets of external threads including a lirst set near the end of the antenna received by the mounting means and a second set spaced from said first set, said first set of threads being engaged with said internal threads, a nut disposed on said antenna means and engaged with said second set of antenna means threads to draw said shank end toward said head portion of the expandable member whereby to cause a bulging out of the shank portion of said member thereby to secure the antenna in the aperture.

4. The invention according to claim 3` including an electrically conductive annular collar disposed on the side of said head portion nearest the shank portion, an electrically conductive end piece connected to said shank end, and a iexible electrically conductive sheathing interconnecting said collar and said end piece.

`5. A radio antenna mount for a vehicle in which there is an apertured support for attaching the mount to the vehicle, said mount comprising an expandable member having an enlarged head portion and a shank portion of lesser diameter than the head, the shank portion being adapted to pass through the aperture in the support, the expandable member having a bore extending lengthwise through the head and shank portions thereof, internal threads disposed in said bore near the end of said shank portion remote from said head portion, a connector piece having an enlarged portion and van elongated reduced portion, and external threads disposed on said reduced portion at the end remote from the enlarged portion, said external threads being engaged with said internal threads whereby upon turning of said connector piece the shank portion of the expandable member is caused to expand radially outwardly whereby to secure the mounting assembly in the aperture, said connector piece having means in the enlarged portion thereof Ifor receiving one end of an antenna.

6. The invention according to claim 5 including an electrically conductive annular collar disposed on the side of said head portion nearest the shank portion, an electrically conductive end piece connected to said shank end, and a ilexible electrically conductive sheathing interconnecting said collar and said end piece.

7. A radio antenna mount for a vehicle in which there is an apertured support .for attaching the mount to the vehicle, said mount comprising an expandable member having a head portion and a shank portion, the shank portion being adapted to pass through the aperture in the support, the expandable member having a bore extending lengthwise through the head and shan-k portions thereof, internal threads disposed in said bore near the end of said shank portion remote from said head portion, a connector piece dispersed in said bore and having irst and second sets of external threads, the rst set of external threads being engaged with said internal threads, and a nut threadedly engaged with said second set of threads to cause the ends of the expandable member to move relatively toward.one another, whereby to cause the shank portion of the expandable member to bulge radially outwardly whereby to secure the mounting assembly in the aperture, said connector piece having means for receiving one end of an antenna.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,167,286 7/ 1939 Theobald. 3,013,643 12/ 1961 Perry 8-5-70 X 3,014,563 1,2/ 1961 Bratton 85-70 X LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

